Review: ASSASSINS at The Gamm Theatre Hits the Mark

ASSASSINS, the 1990 Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman show featuring the stories of nine successful and would-be presidential assassins, may seem like an odd choice of subject for a musical, particularly as the first musical in the Gamm Theatre's 35 season history. However, with inventive staging and a top-notch cast guided by artistic director Tony Estrella, this selection pays off.

Assassins is made up of a series of vignettes - both songs and book scenes - that introduce us to each assassin or would-be assassin's reason for taking action. The music is a pastiche of different styles, as suits the time period portrayed, from elements of John Philip Sousa marches to sixties era pop-rock to a jaunty rag. Playing a foil to the assassins is the Balladeer (Nile Scott Hawver), who starts as a scruffy folk singer, accompanying the music on a guitar or banjo. He provides a "ballad" for three of the four successful assassins as the voice of an optimistic, every-man American. . .at least, until his transformation into a conspicuously missing assassin towards the end of the show.

While the original, off-Broadway version of Assassins was slightly darker in tone, the show has always begun in a carnival shooting gallery in which the assassins are invited by a wily Proprietor to "Hit the Prez and Win a Prize." Prior to the show's London production in 1992, and again before its 2004 Broadway revival, changes were made to the libretto and score to reflect a carnival atmosphere throughout the entire show. This can make for a tricky line to tread, as the material is surprisingly funny on its own merit. While the Gamm's production does utilize the carnival atmosphere throughout, it's never so much that the sincerity of the show is lost.

The Gamm made an interesting choice to present Assassins in the round, uncommon for this musical. With a pit in the middle of the stage for the several musicians (Music Direction by Lila Kane). In lieu of a set, per se, a variety of props, lighting, and effects are used in conjunction with two tall structures on either end of the stage to represent everything from an electric chair to an abandoned barn in Virginia where Booth meets his demise. Strings of round lights hang from the ceiling, as do shooting targets, labelled silhouettes of each president who were themselves the target of each assassin.

Dressed in a clown suit and face makeup, Eden Casteel as the Proprietor ushers in each of the assassins in turn during the opening number, and returns throughout the show in a variety of roles, portraying each of the presidents and more. Casteel balances this absurdity with just the right amount of pathos, right up until her final moments on stage. As William McKinley's assassin, the self-described anarchist Leon Czolgosz, Michael Liebhauser is perfect in his book scenes and in every song, with a rich baritone that seems to emphasize the weight of class struggle his assassin so keenly feels. Tom Gleadow portrays Samuel Byck, the out-of-work tire salesman who hoped to assassinate Richard Nixon by hijacking an airplane to crash into the White House. Gleadow's take on Byck's two monologues (based on voice recordings the would-be assassin sent to a variety of public figures prior to his attempt) are at turns entertaining, chilling, and occasionally relatable.

Other notable cast members include the hilarious Amanda Ruggiero as Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme (yes, the Charles Manson devotee) and Casey Seymour Kim as Sara Jane Moore, the two women who attempted to assassinate Gerald Ford just weeks apart from each other in 1974. As the angry and pained would-be assassin of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Andrew Iacovelli is perfect as Giuseppe Zangara, with a great singing voice and accent that was consistent and spot on, with an entire monologue in Italian towards the end of the show.

While a few of the group scenes felt a bit busy, specifically when an ensemble is not usually called for (ie. during "The Ballad of Guiteau") it is difficult to find much fault with this excellent production of one of Sondheim's most challenging shows - for audiences and actors alike.

Whether you're already familiar with the stories, or this is your first time learning more about these men and women who are often considered little more than "footnotes in a history book," don't miss your shot to see the Gamm Theatre's production of Assassins.

Assassins runs through March 29 at The Gamm Theatre, 1245 Jefferson Boulevard, Warwick, RI. Tickets are $45, $55, or $65, available by calling 401-723-4266 or by visiting gammtheatre.org. Senior, student and group discounts available.

Pictured, left to right (foreground): Michael Liebhauser as Leon Czolgosz, Casey Seymour Kim as Sara Jane Moore, Chris Stahl as John Hinckley. Left to Right (midground): Emily Turtle, assistant music director/keyboards; Brian Grochowski, bass; Helena Tafuri, ensemble; Left to Right (background): Alexander Platt as John Wilkes Booth, Gabriel Graetz as Charles Guiteau, Andrew Iacovelli as Giuseppe Zangara, Tom Gleadow as Samuel Byck. Photo by Peter Goldberg.